Then I'm banished, too!
by Dacyon
Summary: This story, that I was graciously allowed to write, was an idea from The Melon Lord Approves: "What if Katara had actually left with Aang when Sokka banished him?" Kataang, UA; originally for Melon's Kataang November Challenge.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** – The following story was _originally_ for Melon's Kataang November Challenge for NaNoWriMo (or National Novel Writing Month); this was also originally Melon's idea, but it was one of many ideas she offered up for anyone to write.

This is a 'UA' (universe alteration, not alternate universe; technicalities, am I right?) story where the changing of a canon event affects the entire storyline. In this case, instead of staying in the Southern Water Tribe, Katara leaves with Aang after the Airbender is banished by Sokka.

This idea immediately struck me as interesting and my brain went into overdrive about all the ways such a story could diverge from the canon material – especially at such an early point. So, I asked if I could write the idea and here I am – thank you, Melon!

I know I'm not the greatest writer – I'm no Melon, Lyralocke, DJNS, D3stiny-Sm4sher, secretsecrettunnel, BaSingTei, or any of the other more talented and amazing authors on this site and across the web – but I'm certainly going to try my hardest to make this an entertaining story.

If you're desperate to know about shipping, aside from the obvious Kataang, you can find that information in the end Author's Note (if you've read any of my other stories, though, you can probably guess as to what couples will be listed).

And while the first few chapters will _definitely_ have a lot of similarities to the show (later chapters will have fewer as the story continues to diverge), I am going to try my hardest to not rehash the series, so if you're interested, please bear with me. If you've read this far, thank you for your time and I hope you enjoy the story!

Honestly, if you want, you can probably just skip the first chapter. A large part of the episode I summarized, but when it got to penguin-sledding, I expanded on some of Katara and Aang's dialogue, and I especially tried to give some depth into Katara's thoughts (and some of Aang's).

And thanks again to The Melon Lord Approves for allowing me to use your wonderful idea! (Sorry it took so long to start posting it!)

**Disclaimer**: _Avatar: The Last Airbender_ belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko; I own nothing. Idea belongs to Melon.

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"Water. Earth. Fire. Air. My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days; a time of peace when the Avatar kept balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Nomads. But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar mastered all four elements. Only he could stop the ruthless Firebenders, but when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe. Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the cycle is broken, but I haven't lost hope. I still believe that somehow, the Avatar will return to save the world."

– Katara, Series Introduction, "The Boy in the Iceberg"

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**1. The Boy in the Iceberg**

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The day had started like every other had for the past several weeks – Sokka and Katara were awoken by their grandmother and went about their daily activities. Sokka would inspect the village's 'defenses' and his tools before practicing the few fighting techniques his father had been able to teach him before heading off to war.

Katara helped her grandmother, Kanna or 'Gran-Gran' as she and Sokka called her, prepare breakfast, followed by laundry, mending clothes, tents, and other supplies before preparing lunch. Shortly after midday, the young Waterbender would normally have a short amount of free time to practice her art before continuing with her chores, but not this day.

The tribe's traps had been less successful than usual, so the village was short on food. And with winter approaching, they needed to start stocking up on as much food as possible. And while they had reset the traps in hopes they might catch something, they decided to try a more reliable source of sustenance – fishing.

While Sokka felt confident enough in his abilities that he could make the journey alone, Kanna insisted that he take someone with him. The children were too young, many of the women too old. The teenage warrior also felt it wrong to take any of the capable mothers or other guardians away from the young children. That left only one choice – his sister, Katara.

And so the two siblings began their journey across the icy, barren lands of the South Pole to gather as much food as possible for their tiny village. Eventually they reached a suitable point that would take them out amongst the numerous ice floes and icebergs surrounding the Southern Water Tribe to begin their fishing expedition.

To say that their trip was eventful would be an understatement. After getting caught in rapids and having their canoe crushed by massive chunks of ice, Katara's resulting frustration with her sexist brother caused her to subconsciously Waterbend an iceberg apart.

That iceberg's destruction revealed yet another one below it, and upon rising to the surface, the siblings realized something was trapped inside of it. Against her brother's protests, Katara cracked it open, revealing not only something, but _someone_.

They might not have caught any fish, but they did find a young boy, an Airbender named Aang, who had been trapped in that second iceberg beneath the sea alongside his flying bison, Appa, for Spirits knows how long.

The siblings were Aang's salvation, rescuing him from his icy prison; in turn, Aang and Appa were their salvation, giving them a ride back to their village since they had become stranded at sea without their canoe.

Exhaustion caught up to them all by the time they made it back to their small home and night had long since fallen. Kanna was relieved to see her grandchildren alive, albeit extremely startled upon seeing the massive bison wandering across the tundra. The second Appa reached the tiny encampment, he collapsed and began snoring.

Aang had fallen asleep on the journey back, but in their attempts to move him, he awoke – though he was rather groggy and the siblings guessed he wouldn't remember being woken the next day. Taking a sleeping bag from Appa's saddle, Aang followed Sokka to the older boy's tent to spend the night. Katara bid her brother and the Airbender goodnight before moving to the tent she shared with Kanna.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The powerful beam of light released when Katara freed Aang was seen by both animals and people for miles around. This included a young man standing on the deck of an outdated Fire Navy vessel. After a short, heated argument with his elderly uncle, the young man ordered a change of course – directly towards the bright light.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

The next morning, after being introduced to what remained of Katara and Sokka's village, Aang had spent a few hours exploring the encampment, including Sokka's prized watchtower, much to the warrior's dismay. Shortly after Katara had finished with the remainder of her daily chores, the Air Nomad had spotted a lone otter-penguin not too far from the village. Concerns of the war Sokka mentioned were immediately shoved to the wayside as the boy propelled himself across the snow towards the frightened animal.

Leaving a perplexed Sokka at the village, Katara traveled off in search of the Airbender. She didn't know why her brother was so distrustful of Aang. And all of the adults seemed wary of him, too, for that matter. Had the war caused them to become so guarded that they were instantly suspicious of any outsiders, even children?

While her memories of her early childhood were not as clear as they used to be, she could remember a time when traders from the Earth Kingdom had visited the South Pole regularly. Although it was a time of war, the visitors were welcomed – trade had given them all a sense of normalcy.

It had been shortly after her mother's tragic death that all of that changed. The tribe had been united as a much larger city then. The elders had been convinced that a trader had let slip a secret of their tribe, either unintentionally or for money. The Fire Nation was not above buying information from shady sources, so many assumed the latter.

Trade had all but stopped after that raid. And to try and ensure their tribe's survival, the elders also divided the city's population and sent three separate groups away from the city. They hoped that if they were spread thin, the Fire Nation would not see them as a threat and lose interest in attacking them. Katara still had no idea why they had attacked and killed her mother, though she had her suspicions. But so far, the elders' prediction had been true – there hadn't been another raid in six years.

Over time, the city fell apart and the small village Katara called home was what remained of it. The four distant settlements kept in monthly contact with each other so supplies could be allocated where they were needed most. Like the village she shared with her brother and grandmother, the other villages were devoid of adult men – her father had rallied them all two years ago to head for the Earth Kingdom.

She often kept herself up at night, worrying about her father and the other warriors. Were they even still alive? The tribe used to receive information about Hakoda and his men from some of the few traders they still allowed in and trusted, but even they had not heard anything in months. And if they were alive, were they making a difference?

Could anyone make a difference at this point? Perhaps the Avatar could, but Aang's uncertainty as to his fate last night had only confirmed what Katara had heard all her life – the Avatar was dead and the cycle was broken. Despite Aang's words, his appearance had actually given Katara reaffirmed her hope in the Avatar. If Aang had survived, then perhaps more Air Nomads, the Avatar included, had as well. Her hope for a better future had dwindled in the past months, but Aang's arrival had helped to revive it.

And as she heard the sounds of otter-penguins in the distance, she was reminded of something else Aang had revived in her – a sense of fun. And it wasn't just her – she had seen the younger children in higher spirits than they usually were. They had laughed, _actually laughed_, as Aang showed them Airbending tricks and performed humorous antics, even some that had been at his own expense. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt this happy.

As she entered the penguin colony, she looked around for any sign of the Airbender, but her blue eyes only fell upon the noisy animals.

Slightly concerned that he had wandered off even further, she called out, "Aang?"

A familiar laugh reassured her that he was still in the area. Looking around once again, she finally caught sight of the boy as he chased after a group of penguins, the animals squawking agitatedly.

"Hey, come on little guy," the Airbender was having difficulty getting close enough to grab any of the penguins, despite his best attempts. Seeing one that was standing still, he jumped towards it, "Wanna go sledding?"

Unfortunately for Aang, the otter-penguin heard him coming and jumped clear in the nick of time, causing the Air Nomad to land in the snow empty-handed. Katara smiled at the boy's vain efforts as she made her way down to him.

Aang chuckled as he airbent himself upright, "Hehe, I have a way with animals."

As if to prove this to his new friend, he imitated the penguins around them, causing the Waterbender to laugh in amusement.

"Aang," Katara calmed herself before presenting her friend with an offer, "I'll help _you_ catch a penguin if you teach _me_ Waterbending."

Aang had finally caught ahold of a penguin's tail, which allowed him to be pulled through the snow, much to the animal's dismay. Knowing the animal wouldn't hold still long enough for him to use it for sledding though, he let go of its tail.

"You got a deal! Just one little problem…," he said as he moved to a kneeling position, "I'm an Airbender, not a Waterbender." Standing up, he asked, "Isn't there someone in your tribe who can teach you?"

Katara turned away and hung her head sadly, "No. You're looking at the _only_ Waterbender in the whole South Pole."

"This isn't right. A Waterbender needs to master water." He paused to think, "What about the North Pole? There's another Water Tribe up there, right? Maybe they have Waterbenders who could teach you."

Katara appreciated Aang's input, but it was something she had thought about long ago. Unfortunately, the same problem she had come across then still plagued her now.

Her thoughts from before returned to her – what had happened to the Northern Water Tribe?

"Maybe," she answered uncertainly, "but we haven't had contact with our sister tribe in a long time. It's not exactly 'turn right at the second glacier!' It's on the other side of _the world!_"

Aang wasn't fazed, "But you forget, _I_ have a flying bison." Smiling, he pointed a thumb at his chest, "Appa and I can _personally_ fly you to the North Pole. Katara, we're gonna find you a master!"

Katara's heart soared with hope at Aang's words... before plummeting back to Earth quickly and forcefully. She longed to learn Waterbending more than anything else, but if it meant leaving home in order to do so...

"That's ... I mean, I don't know," she answered honestly. "I've never left home before."

Aang understood her hesitation – leaving home was difficult and the last thing he wanted was to push Katara towards making a decision she wasn't comfortable with.

"Well, you think about it, but in the meantime, can you teach me to catch one of these penguins?" he pleaded.

"Okay," Katara smiled, "listen closely my young pupil." She brought her hands before her and mock-bowed, "Catching penguins is an ancient and sacred art. Observe!" Righting herself, she conjured a raw fish from her sleeve and threw it at the Airbender. She had suspected the boy might have trouble catching a penguin on his own, so she had packed one accordingly.

Aang caught the fish in his hands, confused. Before he could ask Katara what he was supposed to do with it, penguins had begun swarming all around him. He laughed gleefully when he realized they were all attracted by the fish, forcing him to the ground as they vied for the treat.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Minutes later, Katara found herself racing down an icy slope, the otter-penguin beneath her gliding across the landscape effortlessly. According to the stories of her tribe's establishment, the first colonists had discovered that if you could catch a penguin, you could ride it.

Of course, forcing the penguins to function as sleds had not gone over well with the animals, none too surprisingly. So in order to placate them long enough to ride, people began giving them treats beforehand – which also served to attract more of them. The otter-penguins got fed, the humans had their fun, everyone was happy.

Happy.

There was that feeling again, that feeling Katara hadn't had in a long time. She had little moments of course – helping the younger children and her grandmother made her happy, poking fun at her brother's expense made her happy, but she hadn't been this happy since she was much younger. Since her mother had been alive.

As Aang sped alongside her, using some airbending to catch up, she realized that it had been _years_ since she'd gone penguin-sledding. Why had that been? Was she so caught up in her responsibilities that she forgot to take some time to simply have fun for herself? She knew deep down that that was in fact the case. Ever since her mother's passing, she, and Sokka (especially after their father left) had been forced to take on adult responsibilities.

She shook her head and focused on the sledding, watching as Aang used a mixture of his bending and a slope to launch himself above her. Smiling, she used another slope to catch up to him.

She laughed gleefully as she landed, "I haven't done this since I was a kid!"

"You still _are_ a kid!" Aang reminded her.

_'I'm still a kid…'_ Katara ignored the pit in her stomach, the part of her that still longed for a normal childhood – something she could never have. Instead, she leaned forward, trying to reduce drag and gain speed over Aang.

Entering an icy tunnel, the Waterbender could tell the terrain was beginning to level out. As the penguins' chattering echoed around her and the wind rushed around her face, blowing her hair back, she smiled in delight.

_This_ was part of a normal childhood, this feeling of freedom – of doing something simply because it was fun, because it made you happy. Spirits, she had missed this.

She laughed as Aang launched himself ahead with airbending, going as far as to use the ceiling of the tunnel to pass Katara. The girl didn't mind that _had_ they been racing, Aang would have technically won. She was having fun, she was happy. And _that_ was all that mattered to her.

As they exited the tunnel, she was pleased to know her predictions about the terrain had been right, causing their rides to slow to a stop. She and Aang quickly dismounted their penguins, allowing the animals to waddle back towards the colony.

Before Katara could suggest that they head back to the village, she noticed Aang was walking ahead. She followed him, knowing what he was looking at.

It was kind of hard to miss.

In hindsight, she felt rather stupid for forgetting where it was. She had just been too caught up in the excitement of sledding – of having fun again – that it had slipped her mind.

Aang stopped just inches from its shadow, "Whoa, what is _that_?"

"A Fire Navy ship," Katara replied grimly, "And a very _bad_ memory for my people."

The Airbender scanned the wreck, watching the tattered flag fly in the icy breeze before his eyes focused on the odd angle at which it sat. The ice they stood on was flat for as far as the eye could see, so why was the wreck situated on a column of ice?

"Why is it in the air like that?"

"My grandmother told us that decades ago, when we had dozens of Waterbenders, they trapped it here."

Aang nodded, his thoughts returning to Sokka's comments about a war. He didn't want to think about that at the moment, though, he wanted to explore. It wasn't everyday he came across abandoned ships.

As he walked towards it, Katara called out to him, "Aang, _stop_! We're not allowed to go near it! The ship could be booby-trapped!"

The Airbender stopped, he hadn't thought of _that_. However, his mind was made up.

Turning around, he addressed Katara, "If you want to be a bender, you _have_ to let go of fear."

Uncertainty returned to Katara's eyes as she processed Aang's words. She had always been told to never explore the Fire Navy wreck. But she also wanted to be a Waterbender more than anything.

"When you say 'let go of fear,' what do you mean?" Katara couldn't believe that Aang, a twelve year-old boy, was completely fearless. "Do you mean to tell me you aren't afraid of anything?"

Aang laughed light-heartedly, "No, of course not! I'm afraid of a lot of things…" He shook his head, "That's just how the monks worded it. I guess a better way of thinking of it is – you can't let fear stop you from achieving your goals."

"That makes a lot more sense…"

"But you still don't want me to go on the ship."

"That's right," Katara looked up at the metal behemoth, "I'm worried you might get hurt – no one's been on that thing since it was trapped."

"Well," Aang thought for a moment, "if you come with me, we can look out for each other – make sure we don't get hurt!"

Katara still had her misgivings about the whole situation, but she gave in with a sigh. She didn't like going on the ship, but she disliked the idea of Aang going on the ship _alone_ even more.

Hesitantly, she walked forward before giving Aang a nod, "Alright, I'll go with you. But remember, we _have_ to be careful."

"I will be, don't worry."

While she trusted Aang, his words didn't do much to comfort her. Nonetheless, as they approached the vessel, she couldn't help but feel her curiosity grow.

Spotting a crack in the ship's hull, Aang helped Katara up the ice until they were both at the opening. Crawling through the gap, the two were immediately struck at how quiet the ship was.

The second thing they noticed was that everything was tilted, a result of the angle at which the ship sat. Damage to other areas of the hull had allowed snow and ice to seep into the ship, leaving some areas of the ship inaccessible.

They were both constantly glancing over their shoulders, almost as if they expected someone to jump out at them. The only sounds were from small animals that had made this ship their home long ago, which only added to the eerie atmosphere.

As they ascended the command tower, they passed many rooms – some contained machinery, some were quarters, others were blocked by snow and ice. However, the next room they came across was different from the others.

This room was full of weapons. Dozens of swords, spears, and clubs of all kinds were lined against the walls, many of which were rusted.

Aang walked into the room, Katara right behind him, "This ship has haunted my tribe since Gran-Gran was a _little girl_. It was part of the Fire Nation's first attacks. It was during those same attacks that they began to steal our Waterbenders; it's because of those attacks we've been reduced to these small villages. We used to be a city full of _thousands_ before the war. When I was really little, there were hundreds of people here; now only dozens of us remain."

Uneasy thoughts filled Aang's mind, he assumed this was related to what Sokka had mentioned earlier. But the monks would have said something about a war between the Fire Nation and their nearest neighbor, the Southern Water Tribe, right? They had mentioned they felt war _might_ break out, but there certainly couldn't have already been a war going on. So how come he didn't know about it, especially when the evidence was right in front of him?

"Okay, back up. I have friends _all over_ the world, even in the Fire Nation." Memories of Kuzon flashed through his head – he would have mentioned something about a war, right? He had only visited him a few months ago, so if tensions had been brewing, the Firebender would have been sure to tell him. He picked up a spear, "I've never seen _any_ war."

"Aang, how long were you in that iceberg?" Katara suspected she knew the answer, even if her friend did not.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully, "A few days, maybe?"

"I think it was more like a hundred_ years_!"

Aang leaned the spear back against the wall, his voice full of disbelief, "What? That's impossible! Do I look like a hundred-twelve year-old man to you?!"

"Think about it, the war is a century old," Katara explained. "You don't know about it because, _somehow_, you were in there that whole time! It's the only explanation."

Aang felt his face change from disbelief to uncertainty and finally to understanding. Katara was right – he didn't know about the war because he wasn't around to see it _start_.

He held his head and fell to the floor, "A hundred years." Somewhere in his mind, he knew that everyone he had ever cared about, the people he loved – Gyatso, Kuzon, Bumi, all his friends at the Air Temple – were gone. He didn't want to accept the reality yet, which he voiced, "I can't believe it."

Katara kneeled next to him and placed a comforting hand on his back, "I'm sorry, Aang. Maybe somehow there's a bright side to all this..."

"I _did_ get to meet you," he answered with a smile.

The Waterbender gave him a warm smile of her own and offered him a hand, "Come on, let's get out of here."

Aang grabbed ahold of Katara's glove, letting her help him to his feet. As they began to retrace their steps, Aang darted down a side hall they had passed over on their way up.

Katara hesitantly followed him but was growing wary the longer they stayed on the ship. "Aang, let's head back, this place is creepy."

"It is pretty creepy," Aang admitted, before walking into another room, recognizing it as the bridge, "so this'll be the last room – I promise."

Katara breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness."

As he stepped through some snow, Aang felt one of his feet catch on something. Looking down, he saw a thin wire, pulled taught by his foot, stretched from one wall to the other.

"Huh?"

Before either of them could react, a gate dropped down from the top of the doorway, sealing them inside the room. Both raced quickly to the door, trying to lift it by pulling on the bars, but to no avail.

"What's that you said about booby traps?" Aang asked sheepishly.

A hiss of steam caused them to turn around in surprise. As they watched, a series of jury-rigged chains, weights, and gears all came to life, culminating in the launch of a flare high into the sky.

Aang and Katara ran to one of the windows, watching as the flare climbed higher before exploding in a bright flash of light.

"Uh oh…," Aang mumbled. Turning around, he searched for a way out, finding a hole in the roof right above them. As Katara walked over to him, he took her into his arms, bridal style, shouting, "Hold on tight!"

Katara couldn't stop her small scream of surprise as Aang picked her up and using his airbending, jumped straight up, carrying them both through the hole and out of the ship. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Katara watched in terrified amazement as he continued to use his powers to get them down from the top of the ship to the ground below in only a few jumps.

As Aang set her down, Katara sighed, "I knew we shouldn't have gone on that ship."

"I'm sorry I ran into the booby trap, Katara," Aang apologized, "but we're both okay – we didn't get hurt. I don't see what the problem is."

Katara looked skyward, watching as the remnants of the flare continued to fall to the ground. Her blue eyes widened in concern, "The problem – the problem could be Sokka! He was just being paranoid when he said you were a spy for the Fire Navy, but this might make him think he was right! We have to hurry and let him know it was an accident!"

Aang didn't need to be told twice. He knew Sokka didn't like him that much, but he didn't want there to be any misunderstandings between them.

Knowing time was not on their side, the two began to run back to the village as fast as they could.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Unbeknownst to the pair, they were being watched from a great distance via telescope. Their observer was none other than a banished prince, who, upon sight of the Airbender, began barking orders to his crew. There was no mistake in his mind – the Airbender was the Avatar and now that he had found him, the Prince was not going to let the coward escape.

And so, the aged Fire Navy cruiser changed course, its new destination being the small village that had once been the mighty capital city of the Southern Water Tribe.

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**A/N** – There's the first chapter. I know, not real exciting. A lot of it was summary, but I also felt the need to give more insight to Katara's thoughts, as well as a little more depth to her conversations with Aang. I especially felt the need to elaborate on the "let go of fear" thing. As we saw in the series, Aang has plenty of fears (and justifiably so). So that's just how I interpreted the saying.

And the next chapter does start out like the second episode, but as you'll see… things will start to change.

And if you're desperate to know about shipping, I'll say this: there is Kataang (it was written for Melon's Kataang November Challenge, so there _will_ be Kataang), Sukka, and Maiko. I like stick to canon couples in my stories, however, there might be a few minor/fanon ships as well (absolutely _NO_ Zutara though!).


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N** – Like I said, this starts out just like the second episode. But you all know where it will change. I hope that if you read it, you enjoyed the first chapter. I know it was somewhat sporadic and didn't add much, but I felt the need to include it.

I don't know when the third chapter will be up, but hopefully it won't be too awful long (I actually have a good bit of it written, I just need to flesh it out).

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**2. Banished**

* * *

Sokka had been sharpening his spear when he saw the flare rise above the horizon. It had come from the same direction of the old Fire Navy wreck. He knew it couldn't be his sister – Katara knew the elders had forbidden anyone to explore the wreck.

That left only one possible suspect – Aang.

If the teenage warrior was honest with himself, he _had_ been a little hard on the kid. And although he had been a bit paranoid, he was simply being protective of his sister and their tribe.

But now… _now_ he knew his instincts had been right. He _never_ should have trusted the Airbender. They should have sent him on his way as soon as he'd woken up that day.

He ran the sharpening stone over the spear's blade one last time before setting it down. His grandmother and the other adults would want to hear about this.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

As Aang and Katara approached the village, the main flare still hung high in the sky. They had run most of the way back, but as they reached the top of the last hill, they had slowed to a walk after seeing the tribesmen gathered outside the village.

They were too late. It was clear that Sokka and the rest of the village had seen the flare and as a result, fear and distrust had replaced any small, but growing, acceptance for Aang.

Katara's only hope was that she would be able to convince them it had all been an accident.

As they descended the hill, some of the children Aang had befriended ran out to greet them, cheering, "Yay! Aang's back!"

Meanwhile, Sokka had moved to the front of the gathered villagers, and as Aang approached, he leveled an accusatory finger at the Airbender.

"I _knew_ it. You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare! You're leading them straight to us, aren't you?"

"Aang didn't do _anything_! It was an accident," Katara defended, returning her brother's glare.

"Yeah," Aang assured, somewhat awkwardly, "We were on the ship and there was this booby trap and well … we boobied right into it."

"Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship!" Kanna chastised her granddaughter, "Now we could _all_ be in danger!"

"Don't blame Katara," Aang pleaded, "I brought her there. It's my fault."

"Aha! The traitor confesses!" Sokka leveled his finger at Aang again, "Warriors, away from the enemy. The foreigner is banished from our village."

The younger children reluctantly returned to their relatives while Katara resumed glaring at her brother.

"Sokka, you're making a _mistake_."

"No, I'm keeping my promise to Dad," Sokka persisted, pointing at Aang yet again, "I'm protecting you from threats like _him_!"

"Aang is _not_ our enemy!" She sighed and let her anger dissipate somewhat, "Don't you _see_? Aang's brought us something we haven't had in a long time: _fun_."

"_Fun_?!" Sokka scoffed, "We can't fight Firebenders with fun!"

In an effort to reduce the growing tension, Aang smiled towards Sokka, "You should try it sometime."

However, Aang's words only enraged Sokka further, "Get out of our village! _Now_!"

"Grandmother, _please_," Katara stood in front of Aang, her arms spread imploringly in front of her. "_Don't_ let Sokka do this!"

Kanna spoke, her voice grave, "Katara, you _knew_ going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right." Her words took on a commanding tone, leaving no room for argument, "I think it best if the Airbender leaves."

"Fine! Then I'm banished, too!" She turned on her heel, grabbing ahold of Aang and dragging him towards Appa. "Come on Aang, let's go."

"Where do you think _you're_ going?" Sokka demanded from the edge of the small settlement.

"To find a Waterbender," Katara retorted angrily, but her voice was breaking, "Aang is taking _me_ to the North Pole."

Aang blinked, confused, "I am?" He paused, brightening, "Great!"

"Katara! Would you really choose _him_ over your tribe?" Sokka's words stopped her in her tracks. Releasing Aang, she glanced down miserably towards the snow before her. Sokka lowered his voice, "_Your own family_?"

"Katara," Aang walked up to his new friend, a sad, but understanding expression on his face, "I don't want to come between you and your family." He walked a few steps ahead of her, closer towards Appa, and turned around.

He was met with silence. Katara's lack of response only increased the tension hanging in the air and everyone watched, waiting with baited breath.

Katara's eyes were shut tight and her head was dipped forward, her emotions warring inside of her. This was her home, wasn't it? How could she even think of leaving it? It wasn't just Sokka and Gran, the _entire village_ was like family. How could she leave _them_?

But this war… this war had gone on for almost a century now. It had taken so much from her already. So much of her family was _gone_ because of it. Because of the war, she had never known her grandfather, she had lost her mother, and she didn't even know if her father and the other men of her tribe were still alive.

If she were to go with Aang, she would be leaving everything she'd ever known behind. It wasn't a scary thought – it was absolutely terrifying is what it was. But to stay and doing nothing – that was just as frightening.

What guarantee did she have that the Fire Nation wouldn't come back one day and wipe them all out? They had exterminated Aang's people, or so the legends said. They had taken from her tribe its Waterbenders and countless lives. The Earth Kingdom was fighting back, but from what she had heard before her father left, it would fall in time. And what of their sister tribe? Did it even exist anymore? Was it still strong, or had it been reduced to nothing but scattered remnants like her own?

Could she really stand by and wait for a miracle? Her village was barely hanging on as it was…

Was she destined to do nothing but continue the monotony that had become her tribe's way of life? Would she be forced to grow old and fearful as Gran had?

Or had this all happened for a reason? If meeting Aang was her only ticket to mastering Waterbending, to making a difference in the world, she knew that if she stayed, years from now – if she was still alive – she'd regret not taking it when she'd had the chance.

Finally, the Waterbender raised her head, meeting the Airbender's eyes.

As Katara looked up at him, Aang had expected her to be prepared to part ways, for her eyes to be downcast and her voice soft and sad.

Her determined gaze and strong words said otherwise. "No, Aang, you didn't come between me and my family. This is something I _need_ to do and my _family_ doesn't seem to understand that."

"K-Katara, you _can't_ leave! I _promised_ Dad I'd look after you. He entrusted us with protecting the tribe and ensuring its safety until he and the other men return. How can I do that if you're not here with me?"

Sokka's pleading _almost_ made Katara reconsider.

Almost.

"Sokka, this might be my only chance to master Waterbending. And even if it's just a small role, if I can reach the North Pole, I might be able to make a difference in the world."

The warrior's jaw muscles clenched in frustration – he knew how stubborn his sister could be. "I'm not going to be able to change your mind, am I?"

Katara shook her head firmly, "No."

Sokka paused, looking dejectedly towards his sister before his expression hardened, "Then, Katara, daughter of Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe, I hereby banish you from our lands."

Both siblings knew Sokka's angry expression was just a façade – anyone could tell from how pained the words were as they left his mouth. A teenage boy, not yet sixteen years of age, was banishing his only sibling – the sister he swore to protect – from the only home she'd ever known.

As Katara and Sokka stared each other down, eyes glistening, Kanna walked past the other villagers towards her granddaughter and the young Airbender. Watching his grandmother walk towards the two just-banished individuals shook Sokka from his staring match, "Gran! What're you doing?"

The elderly woman paid no heed to her grandson as she continued towards the two benders standing in front of the large six-legged bison. She smiled a sad smile towards her granddaughter, presenting Katara with her sleeping bag. "You'll need this, my little Waterbender."

Katara accepted the bag from her grandmother before tossing it to the side and embracing Kanna in a fierce, but gentle, hug. She wanted, no she _needed_, her grandmother to understand. "I'm sorry, Gran Gran, but I _have_ to do this. I might never have another chance."

"_Shh_, Katara, I know, _I know_," she whispered. Kanna's acceptance surprised Katara, "You have to find your own path in this life. Your mother would be so _proud_ of you."

Kanna leaned back, wiping the tears away from her granddaughter's eyes. Katara smiled slightly before hugging her grandmother again, but pulled away quickly after – afraid she might go back on her decision if she stayed in Kanna's embrace for too long.

Kanna took a step back and turned to her left slightly, addressing Aang, "Look after my granddaughter, young Airbender."

Aang placed his hands before him and bowed, "I promise I won't let any harm come to her."

Returning to stand alongside the other villagers, Kanna looked on as Aang helped Katara onto Appa's back and into his saddle.

Sokka shut his eyes tightly, stopping the tears that threatened to flow over before walking forward past the outer wall of the settlement. When he opened his eyes, his sister was already meeting his gaze. They wanted to say a million different things to each other, but neither could find the right words to do so.

Aang sat atop Appa's head and addressed the remnants of the once-mighty Southern Water Tribe, "It was nice meeting everyone."

The village responded to his words with tears from the young kids he had befriended and glares from their mothers, as well as an exceptionally strong glare from Sokka.

"Goodbye, everyone," Katara's words brought the village out of their mutual scowling at Aang to address their only Waterbender.

There was a finality to her words that they were all too familiar with – it had only been two years since husbands, fathers, and brothers had said the same words, in the same tone, before heading off to war.

Some of the young children ran away from the protective grips of their mothers to stare up at the bison's passengers.

"Aang, Katara, don't go! We'll miss you!" shouted Sakari, tears falling from her eyes.

Katara and Aang stared back, their eyes sharing the same sad expressions of the younger children.

"We'll miss you, too," Katara answered for the both of them, her eyes focused on her brother and grandmother, both of whom only frowned in response.

"Come on, boy," Aang addressed Appa, "Yip-yip." The Sky Bison rose to his feet with a groan and turned away from the village before plodding northward.

Sokka made no smart remark about the bison's lack of flight – he didn't want his sister's last memory of him to be mocking her new friend's animal companion.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

After Appa had disappeared over a few hills, the children returned to the village while Sokka walked out to stand where his sister had stood only minutes before.

Kanna walked up behind her grandson, "Sokka, are you alright?"

Sokka sighed, "Gran, I just banished my little sister from our tribe. Of course I'm not alright."

Kanna placed a glove hand on one of his shoulders, "You did what you thought was necessary for the good of the tribe; it was _her_ choice, anyway."

Sokka's only response was to nod solemnly, a few tears slipping down his cheeks. Kanna turned him around to face her before wrapping her arms around him in a loving hug.

"It's alright to cry, my brave little warrior, but right now we should probably start preparing for a possible raid."

Sokka immediately stiffened and wiped away his tears. The transition from uncertain teenager to confident warrior was almost instantaneous.

"You're right, Gran. I gotta get ready." The teenage boy hugged his grandmother quickly again, just like Katara had done, before racing back towards the village. Once inside the walls, Sokka began shouting orders to the young boys of the tribe, "All right, ready our defenses! The Fire Nation could be on our shores any moment now!"

Sokka's eyes were met with a familiar sight as one of the boys began dancing around with a hand raised as he urged the others to prepare.

Before the boy could say a word, Sokka exploded, "And just _go_ already Nilak, there won't be time for a potty break later, so go _now_!"

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

"Just keep heading north, boy." Appa groaned in response to Aang's command, but continued to trek across the tundra.

The Air Nomad then turned to face the saddle on Appa's back and watched as the only other passenger – a crestfallen Katara – continued to stare back in the direction of her village.

Airbending himself into the saddle, he kept a respectful distance from his new friend before scooting closer and placing a hand on her shoulder. "Katara?"

Sniffling, the Waterbender turned to face her traveling companion, "Yeah, Aang?"

Aang squeezed her shoulder, trying to comfort her, "We can still turn back if you want."

Fresh tears began to fall from Katara's eyes before she pulled Aang into a tight hug, which he readily returned. Despite having only known each other a day, they had already established a strong bond. So while their first hug wasn't that unexpected, both wished it could have been under happier circumstances.

"It's too late to turn back, Aang. I'm banished, too," Katara choked out, "But I appreciate you offering."

Aang pulled back from the hug slightly to look Katara in the eyes, "I just don't want you to be here if you'll be unhappy, Katara. I mean, I'd love the company, but if you'd be happier back home, just say the word." He paused before adding, "Besides, I think your village would accept you back with open arms; it's me they didn't want."

Katara returned Aang's gaze, "Like I told Gran and Sokka, Aang, I need to do this. This is my only chance at becoming a Master Waterbender. It might be my only chance at making a difference, no matter how small, in this war."

Pulling back from their hug completely, but still holding his new friend by her shoulders, he asked, "You're positive?"

Katara smiled, albeit somewhat sadly, "Absolutely."

Returning her smile, Aang nodded, "Alright, then. Let's see if Appa's ready to fly." Jumping back onto the bison's head, he spoke to his animal companion, "Are you ready, boy?" The groan Appa gave was one of affirmation, so Aang steadied himself and grabbed the reins. Turning back to Katara, he added, "You might want to hang on, just in case." Nodding, Katara grabbed one of the hand-holds on the side of the saddle. Once he was certain his new friend was ready, Aang flicked the reins, "Yip-yip!"

Unlike the last couple times Aang had urged Appa to fly, the bison was now well-rested, and so upon hearing the familiar command, he beat the ground with his tail and then soared off of the tundra and into the air.

"Aang, he's flying!" The Waterbender looked around in amazement, "He's _flying_!"

Aang smiled back at the awestruck Katara, glad that the thrilling moment had given her a short distraction from her feelings of homesickness.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Back at the village, Sokka was busy preparing for war. After applying the traditional Water Tribe war paint, he sheathed his trusty boomerang and double-checked his boots and bindings one last time. Finally, he grabbed his club and rushed outside.

Once he stood atop the poor wall meant to protect the small village, Sokka glanced out across the icy waters, now covered in a dense fog. He focused on the matter at hand, remaining vigilant in the face of an attack and preventing his thoughts from drifting towards his sister and the nagging guilt he felt for banishing her. A loud cracking noise suddenly filled the air and the villagers released a resounding gasp as the noise echoed throughout their camp.

As Kanna stood from her log by the fire, her thoughts were overcome with fear and her face with dread as the cracking continued to grow, increasing in both intensity and proximity to the village.

Chunks of the 'protective' wall began to fall off, culminating in the utter collapse of Sokka's prized watchtower.

"Oh man!" _'First Aang takes it out partially, now the whole thing goes!'_ the warrior thought in disappointment. The cracking continued to grow, getting closer and closer to Sokka's position until a huge shadow appeared out of the fog. He watched as it grew ever closer in absolute terror, "_Oh man_..."

Sokka stood shell-shocked as the cracks in the ice began to travel throughout the village as the vessel's shadow fell across it. Kanna helped her tribesmen to safety before turning back towards her grandson, horrified to see that he remained atop the wall.

Panic-stricken, Kanna yelled in an attempt to get his attention, "Sokka, run!"

Deaf to his grandmother's calls, Sokka brought his club back in a futile attempt to strike the ship's bow. However, the bow made contact with the wall before he could strike, causing the snow to collapse and propelling the teenager backwards into the village.

Steam suddenly expelled from the sides of the bow and seconds later, Sokka had to jump out of the way as the bow itself dropped down, creating a walkway from the ship's hull right into the middle of the village. Kanna led the villagers out of hiding, careful of the cracks in the ice, as they stood in shock at the sight before them.

The villagers stopped behind Sokka, who was kneeling in the snow, ready to attack whoever descended the walkway. A trio began their way into the village from the ship – Kanna recognized the two soldiers in standard-issue armor, but the figure in the middle appeared to be an officer, despite his obvious youth.

Just as more guards followed the first trio, Kanna was startled to hear her grandson let out a war cry and charge the leading figure. If the situation wasn't so dire, it would have been almost comical how easily the officer kicked Sokka's club out of his hand to one side of the walkway before kicking Sokka himself to the other.

Kanna watched in silent fear as the officer, flanked now by three Firebenders and three non-bending foot soldiers approached the villagers while Sokka struggled to free himself from the snow.

The officer – Kanna could now see he sported a large burn scar across the left side of his face – glanced about the small throng of villagers, appearing to be searching for something.

Stopping before Kanna, he asked in a calm but irritated voice, "Where are you hiding him?"

The tribesmen remained silent as the officer yet again looked among them. Before she could react, Kanna felt the officer grab her by the hood of her parka, pulling her in front of her tribe.

Now the calm in the officer's voice was gone as he shook Kanna, demanding, "He'd be about this age, master of _all_ elements?"

Just as quickly as she had been taken from it, Kanna felt herself pushed back into the crowd. Shaking with fear, Kanna and the other villagers were barely able to react when the officer – having once again received no response – shot out an arc of fire above their heads.

"I _know_ you're hiding him!"

It was at this point Sokka had managed to finally free himself from the snow and came charging back towards the officer with his retrieved club, another war cry echoing from his throat. Just before his weapon would have made contact with the officer, the Fire Nation teen ducked out of the way, allowing Sokka's momentum to carry him forward into the snow.

Sokka was forced to jump away again as soon as he'd landed as the officer unleashed a jet of fire. In retaliation, Sokka threw his boomerang, narrowly missing the officer's face with the weapon.

After watching the boomerang disappear beyond his line of sight, the officer turned back towards the warrior, his expression almost feral.

"Show no fear!" Sokka looked back towards the other villagers at Nilak's cry, catching the spear the younger boy tossed to him.

Yet again, Sokka charged towards the officer, hoping _this_ direct attack might succeed where his others had failed. When the officer shattered his spear to pieces with only his forearms, before taking what remained of the weapon and knocking Sokka to the ground with its blunt end, it wasn't much of surprise to the warrior, but disappointing nevertheless.

Just as the officer broke what remained of the spear in two, Sokka noticed his boomerang returning into view behind the Fire Nation teen. The resounding 'clang' as the weapon made contact with the officer's helmet was music to Sokka's ears.

Moving to pick up his boomerang while the scarred teen readjusted his helmet, Sokka was unprepared for the fire daggers that appeared at the officer's hands.

Growling, the officer moved swiftly and dropped to one knee, bringing one of his fire daggers to Sokka's neck, "Do you have a death wish?"

Despite the fear clear in his eyes, Sokka kept his voice calm, "You attacked my tribe. I swore to defend it – to the death if necessary." The officer placed his fire dagger closer to the Water Tribesman's throat, watching as the warrior inched his way back from the heat.

Unexpectedly, the fire daggers disappeared as the officer stood up, "Lucky for you," he growled, "I only want the Avatar. I won't harm anyone as long as you tell me where he is."

Moving into a kneeling position, Sokka watched as the scarred officer circled around him to the other villagers. "Who are you? Why do you think we have the Avatar?"

"Because I saw him – he was here! As for who I am – my name is Zuko, son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai, _Prince_ of the Fire Nation, and heir to the throne.'' Looking over his shoulder at Sokka, the Prince asked, "Now, are you going to tell me where he is, or am I going to have to burn down your village to find him?"

"He's not here – the Avatar died long ago with the rest of the … Air Nomads…," Sokka's eyes widened in realization – the Prince must have seen Aang.

Well, that confirmed Aang was _not_ a Fire Navy spy; too little, too late, it seemed. The Firebender believed Aang, an innocent boy, was the almighty Avatar just because he was an Airbender. Glancing up towards his grandmother, he saw in her eyes that she had made the connection as well.

Their interaction was not lost on Zuko.

Grabbing Sokka, Zuko presented another blade of fire to the warrior's throat, "Tell me what you know!" As he moved the dagger closer to Sokka's skin, the Water Tribe teenager struggled to move away from the heat, but to no avail.

"Wait! Don't harm him! I'll tell you what you want to know."

Kanna's pleading was just what Zuko had wanted to hear. Throwing the younger teen to the ground, but standing between him and the other villagers, the Prince nodded for the elderly woman to continue.

"There _was_ an Airbender here. He was rescued from an iceberg by my grandson a-and," Kanna almost added 'and granddaughter,' but thought better of it – there was no reason for the Prince to know her other grandchild was _traveling_ with Aang, "and the Airbender accidentally triggered a flare on an old Fire Navy wreck. When he returned to the village, I banished him for endangering us."

"So he's left the South Pole?"

"Yes, the Airbender is no longer here." Kanna gestured towards Sokka, "Now, please, my grandson."

Zuko paused, calculating, before responding. "No, your grandson will be my prisoner. I saw the Avatar carrying someone out of that Fire Navy wreck – it was your grandson, wasn't it? He must have spent the most time with the Avatar, must have gotten to know him, so I'm taking him with me." Before Sokka could act, two soldiers had grabbed both of his arms, forcing him towards the boat.

"Wait!" Zuko turned around at Kanna's cry once again.

"What is it now? Do you have _more_ information on the Avatar?"

"No… I just wanted – may you at least allow me to say good-bye to my grandson?"

Zuko was about to deny the woman her request when an all too familiar voice rang from the interior of the ship.

"Prince Zuko, let them say their good-byes." Uncle Iroh's words carried down to the Prince from the top of the ramp, and although Zuko felt it was unnecessary, he allowed it.

The remaining Fire Nation soldiers formed a semi-circle around their Prince and Sokka, allowing Kanna to pass through, but preventing any attempt at escape. Sokka's guards released their hold on him, allowing grandson and grandmother to embrace for possibly the last time.

"Be strong, my brave warrior."

Kanna made no attempt to stop the tears falling from her eyes – she was losing her second grandchild the same day she lost her first. How _else_ was she supposed to react? She had lost her husband and daughter-in-law to the ravages of war; her son was currently fighting in said war, her granddaughter was banished, and now her grandson was being taken captive as a prisoner of war.

Returning his grandmother's hug fiercely, Sokka promised, "I will, Gran."

Resting her hands on his shoulders, Kanna whispered, "You found Aang for a reason. Now your destiny is intertwined with his." Looking up the ramp at Iroh, she asked, "Will you allow him to take his parka and sleeping bag? The Southern Seas are awfully cold at night."

Iroh nodded, "Of course."

One of the other women in the tribe moved quickly into Sokka's tent and retrieved the items before passing them to one of the soldiers, who inspected them for hidden weapons.

Meanwhile, Iroh tried to reassure Kanna's mind, despite the situation, "You have my word he will be treated fairly."

Kanna nodded in response to Iroh's reply before stepping away from the soldiers and rejoining the other villagers. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Gran."

Satisfied that the two were done parting, Zuko ascended the ramp, followed by Sokka – who was once again restrained by two soldiers – and his men, one of whom was carrying Sokka's club and boomerang.

Once he reached the top of the ramp, he began barking out orders. "Head a course for the nearest supply station; we finally have a lead and we cannot afford to waste any more time."

When everyone was inside the ship, the walkway was retracted, releasing more steam into the cold air as old gears groaned in protest.

Sokka looked back out towards his village, his eyes falling on his grandmother. He gave a weak smile in an attempt to ease her worries, but his face quickly fell to a frown as he saw her watching helplessly, tears in her eyes. And then, the dim light of the ship's interior was all Sokka could see.

The Water Tribesman then felt the ship jar its way free of the ice before turning around and leaving the Southern Water Tribe behind. After a few minutes, which were spent having his hands bound behind his back, his captors brought him to the deck of the ship. Unprepared for the blinding sunlight after his eyes had adjusted to the dim levels below, the Water Tribe warrior squinted as he was brought before Zuko, who was holding his club and boomerang.

"Now that I _know_ the Avatar is still alive, I _will_ capture him. And when I do, his Airbending staff will make an excellent gift for my father." The Prince examined Sokka's weapons more closely, "I suppose your weapons will make fine gifts as well – the last, dying remnants of the once mighty Southern Water Tribe. Of course, I might just add them to my personal collection instead."

_'Personal collection!_' Sokka scowled – the Firebender was more arrogant than he had originally assumed. In retrospect, he knew he shouldn't have expected anything less, especially from the Fire Lord's son.

"Take the savage to the prison hold," Zuko ordered before thrusting Sokka's weapons into Iroh's arms, adding, "And take these to my quarters."

As his nephew walked away, Iroh glanced from hand to hand, examining the weapons. After Zuko had left, he turned towards the nearest soldier, "Hey," Iroh placed the weapons in the man's hands, "you mind taking these to his quarters for me?"

Sokka watched indignantly as the elderly man and other soldier walked off towards the command tower of the ship before being forced below deck once again, trapped between two guards.

Fuming about the Prince's 'savage' comment, he tried baiting his guards, "I bet I could take you _both _with my hands tied behind my back."

"Silence!" ordered the Firebender in front of him.

The other Firebender mocked the young warrior, "Yeah, you could _definitely_ take both of us with your hands tied behind your back, especially when you couldn't even take Prince Zuko with your hands _free_!"

As the guards shared a laugh over that, Sokka watched as the soldier in front of him withdrew a key, preparing to unlock what Sokka assumed was the prison hold.

Before the man behind him – carrying his parka and sleeping bag – could react, Sokka sprang backwards directly into the man's chest, winding him and knocking them both to the floor. Unfortunately, Sokka's escape attempt did not go unnoticed by the other guard. Before he could right himself and run off, Sokka felt the older man's crushing grip around his arm.

"Are you trying to test me, boy? Because I _will_ burn you if you try that again." Barking at his companion, he added, "Lee! Get up! And try holding _on_ to the prisoner this time!"

"Oh, quit your whining, Li! You weren't the one he fell on!"

Once 'Li' had taken hold of Sokka with one hand, balancing the teen's parka and sleeping bag with his other, 'Lee,' finally unlocked the prison hold. The trio walked inside before Lee closed the door behind them.

After unlocking the actual cell, Li tossed Sokka's parka and sleeping bag on the dirty cell floor before untying his hands. Next, the Water Tribe warrior himself was unceremoniously tossed into the cell by the two soldiers, who then locked both the cell and cell door behind them, leaving Sokka alone in the dim light. Quickly throwing his parka over his head and wrapping his sleeping bag around him, the warrior scooted towards one of the corners of his cell and attempted to stay warm.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Katara moved towards the front of the saddle and leaned over to look at Aang, who was happily resting on Appa's head. "So," her voice caused the Airbender to turn around and look at her, smiling, "We're actually headed to the North Pole?"

Aang's smile broadened, "Yep! But first, I'm going to have to stop at home and look for the Airbenders." He tilted his head as though struck with a sudden realization, "Wow, I haven't cleaned my room in a hundred years! Not looking forward to _that_." He brightened, "But then it's on to the North Pole!"

"Aang, this means more to me than you know. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Katara."

The Waterbender seemed hesitant to speak what was on her mind, but did so anyway, "And I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but are you sure you want to take me all the way to the North Pole? I mean, we only just met yesterday."

Aang smiled reassuringly, "Of course I'm sure. Friends do these kinds of things for each other."

Katara could only smile in reply. She was still upset over leaving home, especially on such bad terms with Sokka, but _this_ was her chance to become a Master Waterbender. Traveling with such a new, but committed, kind friend made the journey even more worth it, and it was hard for Katara to dwell on pessimistic thoughts for too long – Aang's cheerful attitude was infectious and Katara reasoned it would make the journey bearable if times got rough.

* * *

**A/N** – I hope Katara's decision seemed in-character, especially because it's _the _point at which this story diverges from canon.

As for Kanna's acceptance of Katara's decision, I honestly think that's how she'd react. Kanna herself had to leave the only home _she'd_ ever known for the chance to be happy; Katara is simply doing the same thing and I think Kanna would recognize that part of herself in her granddaughter.

Also, I think Iroh – more than most – would recognize the need for a proper good-bye between family members. From the sounds of it, he was unable to have a proper good-bye with Lu Ten… And since the Fire Nation probably didn't care much about the comfort of their prisoners (surprise, surprise), I imagine the prison hold on Zuko's ship isn't connected to the heating system. Something the elders might have known from the Fire Navy wreck or just simple guessing. And that's my excuse for why Sokka was able to get captured, but still have his parka and sleeping bag.

And I felt like giving some of the kids names – Sakari is Inuit for "sweet" and Nilak is Inuit for "piece of fresh-water ice." Correct me if I'm wrong on the names, I'm just getting them from the internet.

Feel free to leave a review if you have time, they're much appreciated! This story is going to be second to "To Win Her Hand" right now, but it's also going to be much longer than that story. It'll be a wild ride for everyone, that's for sure! Thanks for reading!

**Additional A/N** - I originally forgot to mention this (I can't believe I forgot it!), but Malik the Night Angel's second review reminded me - Zuko taking Sokka prisoner was also part of Melon's original idea. Which was _much_ better than my idea of Sokka (at a later date to try and find Katara and Aang) taking a canoe out into the open ocean... and I am forever thankful for her idea. Again, I can't believe I forgot to mention that when I originally posted this last night, but I felt I should give credit where its due.


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